280 14 



The aorta passes to the left side of the corpora of the coalesced anterior 

 vertebræ and continnes in this asymmetrical position. A sliort way behind the 

 last branchial vein, coming from the 3rd and 4th gill-arches, it sends out a pair 

 of strong branches, each for one of the pectoral fins, and ventrally between the 

 origin of these, it gives off the arteria coeliaca, which passes to the right side of 

 the oesophagus between the stomach and the liver, following the portal vein 

 and giving oiT branches to both oesophagus and stomach and one branch 

 running forwards to the lower face of the air-bladder, entering the "red-corpuscle". 



The air-bladder is very thin-walled and reaches from the oesophagus, about 

 at the level of the front end of the liver, or the scapular foramen of the shoulder 

 girdle, to behind the ventral fins. At the anterior end it is provided with a large, 

 ovoid rete mirabile or "red gland"; besides the branch from the arteria coeliaca, 

 just mentioned, it has a branch from the portal vein, closely following the artery. 



The kidneys are above the rectum fused to a thick mass, below which is 

 a urinary bladder; anteriorly the kidneys separate and filling out the impressions 

 between the vertebral corpora take on the shape of narrow bands, which under the 

 front end of the coalesced part of the vertebral column on each side form a small, 

 slightly swollen "head-kidney". The latter are asymmetrical, the left being the 

 larger. Through the "head-kidneys" pass out the above mentioned arteries for the 

 pectoral fins. The head-kidneys seem not to contain any urinary tubules, but such 

 are to be detected in the narrow strands of kidney-substance filling the grooves 

 on each side of the body of the last (the 4th) coalesced vertebra. 



On the outer side of each kidney run the large vagus-nerves, which leave the 

 skull through the anterior exoccipital foramen, while a large nerve for the pectoral fin 

 leaves through the posterior (that nearest to the condyle); a deeper-lying nerve for 

 the pectorals passes out through the nerve-openings in the front end of the first of 

 the coalesced vertebræ; through the openings in the following coalesced vertebræ, 

 besides nerves, pass branches from the aorta. 



Genital organs. The ovaries are large, paired sacs, posteriorly uniting into 

 a very short common oviduct, opening as usual between the anal and urinary 

 orifices. 



Also the testes are paired, provided behind with a very short common duct''. 



Fistularia. 



Exoskeleton. 



In the 3 species examined: F.tabacaria L., F. depressa Gthr. and F. petimha 

 (Lacép.) Jordan & Gilbert the equipment with dermal osseous structures is some- 

 what different. 



I. In F. petimba the skin is rough to the touch (like sand-paper adhering to 

 the fingers), the whole body being covered with minute booklets. This I have 

 found to be the case not only with quite small specimens from 130 mm. in 



